Apparatus and method for sampling of confined spaces
First Claim
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1. A system for analyzing a cargo comprising:
- a container, where the container can be substantially confined on all sides, where the container includes at least a distal end and a proximal end;
an atmospheric ionization sorbent module (AISM) including a sorbent surface, where the AISM is located one or both of inside the container and outside the container, where the AISM is adapted to be connected to one or both one or more sites inside the container and one or more sites outside the container;
a condenser located to cool the AISM sorbent surface to assist in absorption, adsorption and condensation on the sorbent surface;
an atmospheric ionizer generating and directing ionizing species at a region in front of the AISM sorbent surface, where the atmospheric ionizer generates ions from the AISM sorbent surface; and
a spectroscopy system which analyzes the ions formed by the atmospheric ionizer directed at the AISM sorbent surface.
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Abstract
In various embodiments of the invention, a cargo container can be monitored at appropriate time intervals to determine that no controlled substances have been shipped with the cargo in the container. The monitoring utilizes reactive species produced from an atmospheric analyzer to ionize analyte molecules present in the container which are then analyzed by an appropriate spectroscopy system. In an embodiment of the invention, a sorbent surface can be used to absorb, adsorb or condense analyte molecules within the container whereafter the sorbent surface can be interrogated with the reactive species to generate analyte species characteristic of the contents of the container.
196 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for analyzing a cargo comprising:
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a container, where the container can be substantially confined on all sides, where the container includes at least a distal end and a proximal end; an atmospheric ionization sorbent module (AISM) including a sorbent surface, where the AISM is located one or both of inside the container and outside the container, where the AISM is adapted to be connected to one or both one or more sites inside the container and one or more sites outside the container; a condenser located to cool the AISM sorbent surface to assist in absorption, adsorption and condensation on the sorbent surface; an atmospheric ionizer generating and directing ionizing species at a region in front of the AISM sorbent surface, where the atmospheric ionizer generates ions from the AISM sorbent surface; and a spectroscopy system which analyzes the ions formed by the atmospheric ionizer directed at the AISM sorbent surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for analyzing a content of a container comprising the steps of:
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receiving the container, where the container can be substantially confined on all sides, where the container includes at least a distal end and a proximal end; locating an atmospheric ionization sorbent module (AISM) including a sorbent surface and a region in front of the sorbent surface, where the AISM is located one or both of within the container and outside the container, where the AISM is adapted to be connected to one or both one or more sites inside the container and one or more sites outside the container, where the AISM is adapted to receive an atmospheric ionizer directed at the region in front of the sorbent surface; loading the container with a cargo; transporting the cargo in the container to a destination; cooling the AISM sorbent surface to absorb, adsorb and condense vapors within the container; directing an ionizing species at a region in front of the AISM sorbent surface, where the ionizing species are formed by an atmospheric ionizer; analyzing ions formed by the atmospheric ionizer directed at the AISM with a spectroscopy system connected to the atmospheric ionizer; and analyzing the AISM one or both prior to and on arrival at the destination to determine the content of the container. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A chemical sample collector for use in a container comprising:
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a housing having at least one opening, where the housing is located one or both of inside the container and outside the container, where the housing is connected to one or both one or more sites inside the container and one or more sites outside the container; a sorbent material associated with a surface located in the housing; and a condenser positioned to cool the sorbent material to assist in absorption, adsorption and condensation of chemical vapors in the container atmosphere onto the sorbent material. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification